Smyrna times., 1887-11-02


many will there be who have heard her
sing? In the next generation how can
they tell whether the Patti of that day is
as great n singer as the Swedish nightin-
gale was? There is no method of COM
parisOn and there cannot be. Which was
the worst to get along with? Well, that's
hard to tell No; it isn't either. Nv
mind must be wandering or would never
have hesitated for a moment in answering
that question. Perhaps you think it is
age that makes my hair so white? 1t is
nothing of the kind. 1t was the season I
had Nine. Trillena out in the provinces.
Never heard of her? Well, dare saw
not. Her season was short and brilliant
One."
Il suppose it was her temper that was
the trOuble?''
''Mme. Trillena was the sweetest tenn
pered woman on earth. She was very
handsome, and 1 don't think she had
fault in the world. When 1 tell you that
we were married after the short season
you may imagine what my opinion of her
was"
docs she sing still?''
''My dear boy, she never sang a note in
her life. She never could sing. Nature
having lavished other blessings on her
denied her voice.
but l thought YOU said that
don't quite follow you"
''Oh, yes you do. You were going to
say that you thought ! said that she
starred in the provinces under the name
OF Nine Trillena. That is what l did saw.
And very successful season it was. The
papers spoke of her as the greatest singer
of the day"
"And did you say she never sang a
notcs"
''Not one. Couldn't to save her life"
Say, hadn't you better drink some
thing milder than that? This is getting
serious"
Thanks, no. l never mix my liquor
| think good champagne is the soundest
upple man can use. Yes; perhaps it
would be good precaution to put an
other couple of bottles on ice Then we
shall not be interrupted, for see 1 shall
have to tell you this story l hate inter-
ruptiOns; don't your
Eyes. Go ahead. l promise not to in
terrupt you again, no matter where you
land yourself"
u meant nothing personal. / was re-
ferring to the walters. There are very
few real walters nowadays. I like a def
waiter who anticipates your wants in
silence and fills your glass without asking
any questions. Well, to begin at the be-
ginning, one day there came to my office
Mrs. Jekyl. She was a young widow
whose husband had died and left her with
nothing to live on. She set to work and
learned shorthand and offered her services
as amanuensis in answer to an advertise
ment. AS her husband had been an actor,
and she therefore knew more or less about
the work, 1 engaged her. She proved
treasure. One day there came in a note
from professor l knew in Milan recon-
mending to my notice Miss Hyde, whose
voice he had been training, and with this
note came another from the young lady
herself, asking me to name a day when
she could call. / knew the professor
would send nobody who was not worth
hearing, so ! made the appointment.
Exactly at the moment named Miss
Hyde was announced Mrs. Jekyll was
sitting at desk writing when Miss HYDE
came in, and, looking toward the door
she gave an involuntary little Shrek and
drew back instinctively. From the glare
in Miss Hyde's eyes I knew she hated
Mrs. Jekyl from that instant,
Miss Hyde was the most appalling
human mOnstrOsity l ever beheld. She
seemed but little over two feet and a half
high, with arms so long that they might
have touched the floor. She had scarcely
any nose, but her mouth stretched from
ear to err and gave her the appearance Of
always wearing q sardOni0 grin,
" L have come to sing to you, she said
abruptly.
Miss Hyde, 1 answered, If you had
The voice Of an angel it would be quite
useless. I do not wish to hurt your feel
ings, but the fact is your-ah-your stage
presence is not such as to make a success
within the bounds Of possibility
" You mean that 1 am SO hideous that
the audience would not stand it. Yes, you
do mean that exactly; don't apologize, 1
know that il is true. But you promised
20 hear me sing, and hear me you must
After that l have q proposal to make to
YOU
81 went to the piano, and / must say
that never heard anything like her voice
Yet I knew that it would be utterly i'm
possible to bring such a looking creature
on the stage Her voice was something
wonderful and her training was perfect.
Now, she said, 4 want yDH to get
some handsome woman, in whom Tou
have confidence, who could act the part
OF singing. will furnish the song; she
viii furnish the stage presence, as you
call it.
" Such a combination is IMPOSSIBLE /
replied.
g 1T is not impossible sha cried angrily,
with a stamp Of her foot. 4 have already
| tried it. Every stage has a trap door, ]
have had constructed an ornamental fret
work box that will go over the trap, and
into that viii climb from under the stage.
| find that it can be successfully done
/ even when ! stand among the scenery.
But this is much better, and detection is
impossible Do you think that with such
voice as have that lam going to starve
in London? OF course what propose can
only be suited 70 conceVts, but / have nc
/ doubt that with n woman who coHld act
1t might be managed even in opera
shook my head, but the result was that
we went TO the theatre and tried It. Mrs
Jekyn went through the motions of q
singer, and had TO confess that the
scheme was o success, sat IN al part,
Of the theatre and It was impossible 10 de
tect the fraud. IT was agreed that Mrs
Jekyll would take the part OF the actress
and she, with q man that I could trust
and who attended to the under stage part
Of the business, were the only persons il
the secret. After / had signed the con
tract with Miss Hyde / told Mrs. Jekyl
that felt as If I had sold myself to Ia,
devil, and so / did
Mrs. Jekyl took the name Of Nine
TFilleng and was a great success from tn
very first We took the provincial town
by storm. Miss Hyde turned ont to be
regular little demon. How ] was eve
idiotic enough to go into the scheme
never yet can understand. She SCENE,
to have bewitched me into it. Yer
shortly after we were on the road sh
raised her terms again and again, unde
threats Of exposure. From the first me
ment she hated poor Mrs. Jekyll and he
hatred grew as time went on. She SCENE
maddened that another woman got tn
credit for the talents she possessed, an
Z AZ last began TO fear that in one Of he
Gnopehts of frenzy she would murder hel
The louder the applause the more sh
CRASHED her teeth and sWoFe-fop 81
! could swear Ike a whole company {
troopers. Curiously enough the angris
she was, the better she sang. / ha